Porirua mayor questioned over living arrangements

Mike Tana is the mayor of Porirua City but he and his family live in Rotorua and commutes weekly. Photo / File

Two years ago newly-elected Porirua mayor Mike Tana told the Rotorua Daily Post he needed to do the Wellington city justice and move his family to his place of work.

That hasn't happened and many of his councillors and constituents are not happy.

In 2016 Tana was one of six candidates campaigning for the Porirua mayoralty. At the time he, his wife and their six children had been living in Rotorua for two years after moving from Porirua.

When interviewed by the Rotorua Daily Post, at the time, Tana said the family had always planned to move back but the ill health of his father and brother had seen the permanent move put on hold.

"Our home is in Porirua, and that's where our jobs are," Tana was quoted as saying. A week into his role he said he had been flat out. "I'm so busy and it reminds me I have made a good choice. I'll need to be there full time, 100 per cent."

But two years down the track Tana's wife and children remain in Rotorua. On Tuesday Tana told Stuff it had not hindered his ability to carry out his job as mayor and said he believed his commitment to Porirua City over the last two years spoke for itself.

The subject of long-distance travel had been included in a phone survey of Porirua residents who were asked if it concerned them, Stuff reported.

It was unknown who commissioned the survey but Tana told Stuff the survey was "asking loaded questions motivated by political manoeuvrings".

"People are entitled to their opinions but I think there is a vendetta and other motivations at play here."

His travel has divided Porirua councillors with some angry he had not moved his family and others saying it did not matter, according to Stuff.